GIUSEPPE BANDA – sculptor

Giuseppe Banda was born on 5th February 1914 in Samarate, in the county of Varese, where he worked in his atelier located in Dante street.
He attended the School “Arts and Crafts” in Milano.

In 1933 he took part in the national competition “Craft” in Firenze and he won the title of “National Champion”.

In 1939 he obtained the diploma in “Sculpture” at the Superior Institute of Art at the Royal House in Monza. His teacherswere Marino Marini, Pio Semeghini, Raffaele De Grada and the architect Giuseppe Pagano.

He took part in the II World War and in 1943 he was made prisoner by French troops and deported in the Equatorial Africa. Here he started his artistic career: he modelled a Christ by termite mud for the chapel of the camp. As his talent was recognized, he was designated to manage a school of ebony and ivory sculpture and two years later he was appointed to fresco the abse and the presibitery of the St. Anna Cathedral in Berberati.

After the repatriation in 1946, he started his artistic career in Italy with the Monument to Dead Partisan located in the Cemetery of Samarate and, at the same time, he dedicated himself to the teaching with great passion.

The artistic activity continued for about half a century producing different artworks attracting the attention of both national and international critics.

Among the public works, a special mention is for the “Madonna of the Snow” of 4.60 m height,placed in the August 1966at the Monte Moro Pass – Macugnaga, at 2950 m of altitude.

Giuseppe Banda died on 2nd January 1994, leaving a large collection of small and big artworks and sculpturing a deep sign in the art of Varese region.

Works by Giuseppe Banda artist